The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed | Page 4

into various ramifications above, and dividing the heads into

numerous compartments, forming either geometrical or flowing tracery.
Triangular or pedimental canopies and pinnacles, more enriched than
before with crockets and finials, yet without redundancy of ornament,
also occur in the churches built during this century.
[Illustration: Worstead Church, Norfolk.]
In the latter part of the fourteenth century another transition, or gradual
change of style, began to be effected, in the discrimination of which an
obvious distinction again occurs in the composition of the windows,
some of which are very large: for the mullion-bars, instead of
branching off in the head, in a number of curved lines, are carried up
vertically, so as to form perpendicular divisions between the
window-sill and the head, and do not present that combination of
geometrical and flowing tracery observable in the style immediately
preceding.
[Illustration: St. Michael's, Oxford.]
The frequent occurrence of panelled compartments, and the partial
change of form in the arches, especially of doorways and windows,
which in the latter part of the fifteenth century were often obtusely
pointed and mathematically described from four centres, instead of two,
as in the more simple pointed arch, and which from the period when
this arch began to be prevalent was called the TUDOR arch, together
with a great profusion of minute ornament, mostly of a description not
before in use, are the chief characteristics of the style of the fifteenth
century, which by some of the earlier writers was designated as the
FLORID; though it has since received the more general appellation of
the PERPENDICULAR.
This style prevailed till the Reformation, at which period no country
could vie with our own in the number of religious edifices, which had
been erected in all the varieties of style that had prevailed for many
preceding ages. Next to the magnificent cathedrals, the venerable
monasteries and collegiate establishments, which had been founded and
sumptuously endowed in every part of the kingdom, might most justly
claim the preeminence; and many of the churches belonging to them

were deservedly held in admiration for their grandeur and architectural
elegance of design.
But the suppression of the monasteries tended in no slight degree to
hasten the decline and fall of our ancient church architecture, to which
other causes, such as the revival of the classic orders in Italy, also
contributed. The churches belonging to the conventual foundations,
which had been built at different periods by the monks or their
benefactors, and the charges of erecting and decorating which from
time to time in the most costly manner, had been defrayed out of the
monastic revenues, and from private donations, being seized by the
crown, were reduced to a state of ruin, and the sites on which they
stood granted to dependants of the court. The former reverential feeling
on these matters had greatly changed; and as the retention of some few
of the ministerial habits, the square cap, the cope, the surplice, and
hood, which were deemed expedient for the decent ministration of
public worship, gave great offence to many, and was one of the most
apparent causes which led to that schism amongst the Reformers, on
points of discipline, which afterwards ended in the subversion, for a
time, of the rites and ordinances of the Church of England, any attempt
towards beautifying and adorning (other than with carved pulpits and
communion-tables or altars) the places of divine worship, which were
now stripped of many of their former ornamental accessories, would
have been regarded and inveighed against as a popish and superstitious
innovation; and a charge of this kind was at a later period preferred
against Archbishop Laud. Parochial churches were, therefore, now
repaired when fallen into a state of dilapidation, in a plain and inelegant
mode, in complete variance with the richness and display observable in
the style just preceding this event.
Details, originating from the designs of classic architecture, which had
been partially revived in Italy, began early in the sixteenth century to
make their appearance in this country, though as yet, except on tombs
and in wood-work, we observe few of those peculiar features
introduced as accessories in church architecture.
Hence many of our country churches, which were repaired or partly

rebuilt in the century succeeding the Reformation, exhibit the marks of
the style justly denominated DEBASED, to distinguish it from the
former purer styles. Depressed and nearly flat arched doorways, with
shallow mouldings, square-headed windows with perpendicular
mullions and obtuse-pointed or round-headed lights, without foliations,
together with a general clumsiness of construction, as compared with
more ancient edifices, form the predominating features in ecclesiastical
buildings of this kind: and in the reign of Charles the First an
indiscriminate mixture of Debased Gothic and Roman architecture
prevailing, we lose sight of every true feature of our ancient
ecclesiastical styles, which were superseded